The Ulster Immunology Group recently marked the BSI’s 70th anniversary with a special event – ‘70 Years of immunology: innovations, discovery and future directions’, held in the Great Hall at Queen's University Belfast on 27 April 2026. The event brought together over 80 clinical, research and teaching colleagues from across Northern Ireland and Ireland to celebrate the history of immunology in the region while showcasing the exciting discoveries and collaborations shaping its future.
For decades, the Ulster Immunology Group (UIG) has provided an important platform for interaction between immunologists working across academia, healthcare, veterinary science and biomedical research. Historically, this has been reflected in the broad membership from institutions across Northern Ireland including Queen's University Belfast, Ulster University, the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI). Over the years, UIG meetings have helped foster collaboration between laboratory scientists, clinicians and educators, creating a network that continues to strengthen the regional immunology community.
The anniversary meeting highlighted both the rich history and the evolving future of the field. Invited talks from internationally recognised speakers covered major advances in inflammatory disease, cellular communication and translational medicine. Massimo Gadina (Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Georgetown University) discussed therapeutic targeting of the JAK-STAT pathway in inflammatory disease, while Anna Nicolaou (Professor of Biological Chemistry at the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, The University of Manchester) explored the role of bioactive lipids and lipidomics in inflammation and tissue responses. Ian Bruce (Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences) delivered insights into stratified medicine approaches in systemic lupus erythematosus, highlighting the growing importance of precision medicine in autoimmune disease management.
A key focus of the meeting was the promotion and celebration of early career researchers. Across the abstract presentation sessions, postgraduate students and emerging researchers showcased innovative work spanning innate immunity, neuroinflammation, autoimmune disease, malignancy and translational immunology. Topics included the regulation of pattern recognition receptor signalling in macrophages by temperature, targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome in glaucoma, and investigating the context-dependent interactome of endogenous human NLRP3.
The afternoon session further highlighted the breadth of cutting-edge immunology research taking place across the region. Presentations explored how mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles modulate B-cell responses in systemic lupus erythematosus, translational immunology approaches from antigen discovery to vaccine delivery, and the role of the E3 ubiquitin ligase Pellino1 in regulating B-cell receptor uptake and metabolism. Together, these talks demonstrated the diversity of research being conducted by trainees and early career investigators, as well as the strong translational focus emerging across the Northern Ireland immunology community.
The meeting provided further opportunities for interaction between colleagues from different sectors and career stages, including an engaging poster session, as well as lunch and networking receptions. This multidisciplinary atmosphere reflected one of the longstanding strengths of the UIG: bridging gaps between academic research, clinical practice, and teaching. It reinforced the importance of collaborative approaches to addressing major challenges in infection, inflammation, cancer and autoimmune disease. The anniversary event highlighted how these regional and international collaborations continue to support innovation and scientific progress across the region, including commercialisation and training future immunologists.
As the Ulster Immunology Group looks towards the future, the ‘70 Years of immunology: innovations, discovery and future directions’ meeting served as both a celebration of past achievements and a reminder of the importance of community within science. By supporting collaboration, mentoring early career researchers and creating opportunities for interdisciplinary discussion, the UIG continues to play a vital role in advancing immunology across Northern Ireland and beyond. The strong turnout and breadth of scientific contributions demonstrated that the regional immunology community remains vibrant, collaborative, and well positioned to contribute to the next generation of discoveries in human and animal health.
The meeting would not have been possible without the generous sponsorship from Accuscience, Almac, Biosynth, Brennan&Co, CliniSciences, GenScript, Mason Technology, MSD, Olink, Premier Scientific, Randox, Selleckchem, Stemcell Technologies and Waters Biosciences.